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Pacific seasonal workers: Learning from the contrasting temporary migration outcomes in Australian and New Zealand horticulture

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  • Richard Curtain
  • Matthew Dornan
  • Stephen Howes
  • Henry Sherrell

Abstract

“Crowding out” is a widely accepted claim in migration analysis, which posits that the preference of profit‐maximising employers for irregular and minimally regulated migrants overregulated alternatives will undermine, if not condemn to failure, well‐regulated temporary migration schemes. In this paper, we test the crowding out hypothesis by examining the experience with well‐regulated seasonal migrant worker programs in the horticultural sectors of Australia and New Zealand. This experience, which in both countries has involved recruitment of workers from the Pacific Islands, has been divergent, despite the two programs being similar in design. Our findings suggest that the relative attractiveness of regulated and unregulated migrant labour sources depends on a range of factors, including the export orientation of the sector, the costs of collective action and regulation, differences in policy design and implementation, and external factors. Depending on industry and economy‐wide characteristics, quality and reputational benefits for employers can offset the cost of regulation.

Suggested Citation

  • Richard Curtain & Matthew Dornan & Stephen Howes & Henry Sherrell, 2018. "Pacific seasonal workers: Learning from the contrasting temporary migration outcomes in Australian and New Zealand horticulture," Asia and the Pacific Policy Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 5(3), pages 462-480, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:asiaps:v:5:y:2018:i:3:p:462-480
    DOI: 10.1002/app5.261
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. David McKenzie & Pilar Garcia Martinez & L. Alan Winters, 2008. "Who is coming from Vanuatu to New Zealand under the new Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) Program?," RF Berlin - CReAM Discussion Paper Series 0806, Rockwool Foundation Berlin (RF Berlin) - Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration (CReAM).
    2. John Gibson & David McKenzie, 2014. "The Development Impact of a Best Practice Seasonal Worker Policy," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 96(2), pages 229-243, May.
    3. Martin RUHS, 2006. "The potential of temporary migration programmes in future international migration policy," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 145(1-2), pages 7-36, March.
    4. Danielle Hay & Stephen Howes, 2012. "Australia’s Pacific Seasonal Worker Pilot Scheme: why has take-up been so low?," Development Policy Centre Discussion Papers 1217, Development Policy Centre, Crawford School of Public Policy, The Australian National University.
    5. Martin Ruhs, 2013. "The Price of Rights: Regulating International Labor Migration," Economics Books, Princeton University Press, edition 1, number 10140.
    6. McKenzie, David & Garcia Martinez, Pilar & Winters, L. Alan, 2008. "Who is coming from Vanuatu to New Zealand under the new recognized Seasonal employer program ?," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4699, The World Bank.
    7. Andrew Leigh & Adam Triggs, 2016. "Markets, Monopolies and Moguls: The Relationship between Inequality and Competition," Australian Economic Review, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, vol. 49(4), pages 389-412, December.
    8. Selvaraj Velayutham, 2013. "Precarious experiences of Indians in Australia on 457 temporary work visas," The Economic and Labour Relations Review, , vol. 24(3), pages 340-361, September.
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